This invention relates to a car body structure, and more particularly relates to a reinforcing structure for a center pillar portion of a two-door type car with a rear side glass operable to be lowered or raised.
In a conventional two-door type automobile or car with an elevating type rear side glass, a center pillar 2 is integrated with a rear fender 1 as shown in FIG. 2. The back wall 2c of the center pillar 2 facing the front edge of a rear side glass 3 has to be made discontinuous to the rear fender 1 at the fender's waist line W, because the wall 2c must allow the glass 3 to enter and go out, differently from the case wherein the rear side glass 3 is fitted in said wall. As shown in FIG. 3, the center pillar 2 is joined with an inner panel 4 of the car body, and is reinforced by the closed cross-sectional structure formed by the joining. As mentioned before, however, because the back wall 2c of the center pillar 2 is discontinuous with the rear fender 1 at the waist line W, the discontinuous portion often has insufficient strength. Particularly because a belt anchor for a seat belt (not shown) is attached to the upper side portion of the center pillar 2, the discontinuous portion is apt to be deformed under the load exerted through the belt anchor.
The reinforcement of this center pillar 2 has not been completely neglected, but the only reinforcement attempted in the past has been the joining of a stiffener 5 with the center pillar 2, over the front wall 2a to the side wall 2b as shown in FIG. 3. Furthermore, the stiffener 5 is attached only to the center pillar 2, but is never extended to below the waist line W of the rear fender 1, and therefore is useless as the reinforcement of the discontinuous portion.